Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 01/99) - Though polar bear biologist Mitch Taylor has yet to be informed of the results of an appeal of his dismissal, he is not holding out much hope.

And there doesn't seem to be much hope, since the government has already advertised internally to have his job filled.

"It's a waste of time," he said of the appeal process. "They've already decided what they're going to do up to the deputy minister's level. Another government department isn't going to overturn it.

"Personally, it would be better and quicker if the union wasn't involved, so I could take them to court and sue for wrongful dismissal."

Taylor said he will be seeking punitive damages, financial compensation for the personal suffering and damage to his reputation caused by the firing.

Taylor was fired in December after 13 years working for RWED and its predecessor Renewable Resources. He said he was fired without so much as a warning from any of his superiors or a chance to refute or defend himself against the charges levied against him.

Details of the firing are unclear. No one from the government is willing to discuss them. But Taylor and others in the department have said some of the information that led to it was provided by Peter Krizan, who worked as Taylor's assistant for the four months preceding the firing.

The Financial Management Board Secretariat is scheduled to render a decision on the appeal by tomorrow.

Taylor said once the firing is upheld by the FMBS he will take it to the last level of appeal, arbitration. That process has taken as long as three years.

Asked if he will be able to stick it out for that long, Taylor said, "I don't know if we'll be able to, but I'm going to try.

"My problem is, I like this job, and I've made promises to lots of people to finish the work I've started."